Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



No. 873,590 PATENTED 13130.10, 1907. A. W. PEARSALL.

' PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1905.

3.SHEETSSHEHT 1.

PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

A. W.'PEARSALL PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 8. 1905.

2, SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS c0, WASHINGTON, a c.

, No. 873,590 PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

WAPEARSALLA PNEUMATIG DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. PEARSALL, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LAMSON CONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PNEUMATIC-DE SPAT CHI-TUBE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

IPatented Dec. 10, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. PEARsALL, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumat-ic-Despatch-Tube Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic despatch tube apparatus and relates especially to an inlet for despatching carriers through said apparatus at an intermediate point between the open end of the tube and the receiving station without the use of other means than the simple pressing of the carrier against the valve. This inlet is so arranged as to permit of its operation when the propelling force is either atmospheric pressure or a pressure created within the system, and has the advantage over the invention shown in Letters Patent 669485 dated March 5, 1901. issued to me, in that carriers despatched from a point remote from the inlet are permitted to pass through said inlet without interruption; and has a further advantage in the fact that the inlet valve is held closed by means of a spring instead of using a complicated and finely adjusted cylinder and piston valve; another advantage is that the tension of said spring may be adjusted and graduated with refer ence to the propelling force used in the particular line in which it is inserted. In former devices of this character a fixed force has been imparted to the valve through which the carriers are introduced by having pneumatically operated force exerted against the introduction or inlet valve and it frequently occurs in actual practice that the force required to open the inlet valve is excessive. By the use of the inlet herein de scribed the actuating pressure on the inlet valve may be varied by increasing or decreasing the tension on the spring operating the valve.

Another object of this invention is to provide against leakage around the valve at the inlet by means of a flexible seat for said valve, which seat slightly projects into the inlet passage so as not to interfere with the introduction of the carrier but sufficiently to expose a lip or edge to the atmosphere, which lip is forced firmly against the surface of the valve by the atmospheric pressure.

In the accompanying drawings which illusment segment and tension spring.

trate a construction embodying my invention, Figure 1 shows a general arrangement of a circuit of pneumatic tubes in which my improved type of inlet is shown and through which a carrier is being despatched upward at a point intermediate an ordinary inlet and a receiving terminal. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the automatic inlet showing a carrier being introduced and the open position of the valve shown by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the adjust- Fig. 5 is a front elevation of-parts shown in Fig. 4.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the general view (Fig. 1) the atmospheric pressure is admitted in the bell mouth A and is drawn through the tube B and through the terminal C connected thereto in the direction indicated by the arrows, thence through the ordinary inlet D which is connected to the transmission tube E in which automatic inlet F is inserted. The tube E then connects with the receiving terminal G. through which the air passes into the ordinary despatch inlet H, and through the transit tube I into the downward receiving terminal J. The air after being drawn through the downward receiving terminal J is conducted through the tube K which is connected to the source of power. Carriers ejected from the terminal J are received in the receiving shelf L.

The improved inlet shown in detail (Fig. 8) consists of the outer case F and the introduction plate F. The gasket F consists preferably of rubber or some similar flexible material, and is clamped between the case F and plate F and projects into the inlet opening. This forms a flexible seat for the valve F which is pivoted at F to the case F. On the valve F is pivoted by the pin F the lever F which is bifurcated at its upper end and which is operated and guided within the slot F in the lever F by means of a pin fixed in said lever F. The upper extremity of the lever F is rigidly attached to the tension pin F", which pin is pivoted in the case F. The tension pin F (Fig. 4) carries the slot F on its outer end and in which one end of the helical spring F is inserted. The other end of the spring F is fixed in adjustable position by graduating pins F inserted in a segmental plate fixed on the case F. The cotter pin F holds the spring F in position on said tension pin F".

To despatch a carrier through the inlet F, the carrier X, (see Fig. 3) is pressed by the operator against the valve F which causes said valve F to open inwardly against the tension of spring F until it assumes the position shown in dotted lines". The influx of air through the opening in the inlet F drives the carrier into the regular circuit in trans mission tube E, thence into the terminal. G

from whence it is discharged. After the carrier X passes the valve F said valve is closed by the tension of spring F preventing a further influx of air.

Having thus described my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new and desire to se cure by Letters Patent of the United States 1s: 1

1. In'a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, an inlet having an opening for despatching carriers, a valve adapted to open inwardly and controlling said opening, spring actuated means for holding said valve nor mally closed, and means for regulating the tension of said spring actuated means.

2. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, an inlet having an opening for despatching carriers, a pivoted valve adapted to open inwardly and controlling said opening, a

wardly for controlling said opening and nor mally closed, flexible means located at said opening actuated by atmospheric pressure against the face of said valve when normally closed for preventing leakage thereby.

4. In a pneumatic despatch tube appara tus, an inlet having an opening for despatching carriers, a valve adapted to open inwardly for controlling said opening and normally closed, a flexible gasket fixed to said inlet forming a seat for said valve and pro jecting slightly into said opening, said gasket being held by atmospheric pressure against the face of said valve when normally closed for preventing leakage thereby.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this first day of November D. 1905.

ALBERT W. PEARSALL.

Witness es:

JOSEPH H. B. Gorr, W. O. HILDRITH. 

